Chapter 140

Eventually, I couldn’t handle Dylan’s presence anymore, and after gently shoving his shoulder, told him, “Get out of here before you get us both in trouble.”

Dylan might have been bolder than Logan, coming into the bathroom to console me, but he would be in no worse shape if he was caught by my side. Dylan, as an attorney, needed these people to make use of his services. If they knew he agreed with me, they might see him in a worse light.

I wasn’t about to have Dylan’s work suffer because of my inability to keep my mouth and heart under control.

“I won’t be far,” he said as he backed toward the door.

Shaking my head, I shooed him again. I didn’t care if I was having a breakdown, I wasn’t going to depend on Dylan right now. I couldn’t – especially not when the person I wanted to console me was Logan and only Logan.

As soon as Dylan left, I exhaled a dramatic breath. Looking around the bathroom, there wasn’t too much privacy here. If someone were to come in, I wouldn’t be able to hide.

To hell with it, I decided and unzipped by dress. Striping it off, I held the dress itself under the cold water. Yet no amount of water or soap could fully undo the damage.

This dress was basically trash. And now, it was too wet for me to even slink back into.

God, what an embarrassment. What was worse, this was the exact scenario that CEO’s wife had hoped to put me in. I couldn’t even sneak out of this event without people seeing me as a mess.

I kind of wanted to crawl under the sink and hide for the rest of the night. Maybe the janitorial staff would be more understanding.

Since that was probably not a reliable option, I pulled by phone out of my purse and called backup. At the very least, my best friend could give me the pep talk I so sorely needed.

“Hazel? Is this a butt dial? Aren’t you at that fancy party?” Maria asked when she picked up the call.

“God, Maria. Everything’s so messed up.”

Maria’s voice became serious. “Details. Now.”

Five minutes later, I had given her almost every play by play. In that time, a woman did attempt to enter the bathroom. She took one look at me, swiveled on her heel, and left the way she had come in.

“Oh my God,” Maria said. “I hate those old pompous farts.”

I agreed, though many of them weren’t all that old. They’d just been born with the silver spoon and never thought to see life outside of their personal palace walls.

“So, let me get this straight. You are currently hiding in one of the bathrooms in your underwear with your ruined dress in the sink?” Maria asked.

“That pretty much sums it up,” I said.

“I see…”

Another woman walked into the bathroom. At the sight of me, she laughed. “Long night, honey? Been there.”

She walked into the bathroom stall unbothered.

“I have a plan,” Maria said. “Mike, how good are you at editing photos? Why? Because I’m sneaking into a high society party, that’s why, and it’d help if I had an invitation.”

“Maria…” I said, a warning in my voice. I couldn’t say more for fear of being overheard. While I was grateful for her devising a rescue mission, I didn’t want her putting her own job on the line.

Honestly, hiding under the sink and waiting all this out was looking more and more like the most viable option.

“Trust me, Hazel,” Maria said. “Besides, you’d do the same for me. But which dress… Oh, I know. Stay where you are. I’ll see you soon.”

“Maria,” I said again, more forcefully, but she hung but.

The woman exited the bathroom stall and washed her hands. “Chin up, honey. Just order a new dress? Pay enough and the staff will bring it up for you.”

What a bizarre way to live, where throwing enough money at every problem made it go away. This woman was only trying to help though, in her own way.

“Thanks,” I said, happy that at least not everyone here was a total asshole.

She gave me a supportive smile and then left.

I turned, leaned against the sink, and waited.

Maria showed up thirty minutes later hauling a very large purse under her arm. She looked fantastic in a little black dress – a classic that looked great no matter how much, or how little, money you had.

“Did they check your invitation?” I asked as she came closer.

“They didn’t,” Maria said. “Look like you belong and they don’t question it. Though it helps that I didn’t try talking to anyone. That would have given me away. I’m not nearly snobby enough.”

I sighed. “Tell me about it.”

Maria gave me a look of sympathy, then glanced at the dress at the sink. The stain still hadn’t come out. The dress likely wouldn’t be salvageable.

“God, what a waste,” Maria said.

I’d been thinking the exact same thing for the past hour.

“Well, no reason to be too upset.” Maria reached into her large purse and immediately withdrew a little red dress. She handed it over to me. “For you.”

Of all the dresses for Maria to have picked!

“I can’t wear this!”

“What, are you going to walk out there naked? Or worse – wearing that?” Maria motioned to the dress dripping over the sink. “This is a great outfit and you look smoking hot in it. Logan and Dylan are both here? Time to blow both their minds, as well as every other stuffy man and woman out there looking to judge you.”

At the very least, I supposed, I could try it on. The blood-red dress was so tight that I had to take off my bra and my pants to remove the visible lines. The skirt was short, ending just above mid-thigh. I was playing a dangerous game here. If I dared to lean over, I might accidentally flash the whole room.

Yet, looking in the mirror, I couldn’t deny that I looked like a vixen from hell, here to seek revenge. I wasn’t just smoking hot, I was scorching. The dress hugged my curves, and the neckline dipped low enough to show the swell of my breasts.

This outfit wasn’t going to change any minds that I was a harlot sleeping with my boss, but – to hell with it. And them.

In this, I looked good. I felt good.

“Go get ‘em,” Maria said, smiling. She urged me toward the door.

Two steps outside of the bathroom door, I stopped. Logan was waiting for me there, his arms crossed over his chest, his gaze on the ground.

As confident as I had been a moment ago, I was now gripped with uncertainty. If Logan didn’t like the outfit… If he thought it was too much…

I wasn’t a coward, but I really wanted him to like it.

If he didn’t, I supposed I could just walk out the door with Maria, as I had thought was the original plan. Watching her dart away toward the exit now though, I was beginning to suspect she had always meant for me to stay, wearing this.

“Logan,” I said. Might as well put an end to my misery.

Logan lifted his gaze up to me. And he froze, his eyes going wide.

My heart thundered in my chest. Did he not like it?